The Presidential Reason Fido Became the Default Name for a Generic Dog
If you're like most English speakers, the first thing you think of when you hear the name "Fido" is, of course, a dog. But why? Join Ben and Noel as they delve into the story of Abraham Lincoln's favo...
12 Juni 201837min
Dock Ellis and the Legend of the LSD No-hitter
Almost 48 years ago, Pirates pitcher and notorious party animal Dock Ellis pitched a no-hitter while under the influence of LSD. How did this man accomplish one of the rarest feats in baseball history...
7 Juni 201836min
Maryland’s State Song was a Diss Track
On the first listen, Maryland's old state song sounds pretty innocuous. There's the usual lauding of the state, a refrain based on "O Tannenbaum" and so on. Yet the lyrics of this song refer to "North...
5 Juni 201838min
The Story of Max, South Africa's Famous, Crime-fighting Gorilla
When confronted with a home invasion, Max the gorilla brought international fame to the Johannesburg Zoo and briefly became the city's most famous crime fighter. He received numerous endorsements, and...
31 Maj 201848min
How Santa Anna Lost His Leg Twice, and Held a Funeral for It
Often called "The Napoleon of the West", mainly by himself, Santa Anna was a legendary, larger-than-life politician, general and exile. While hundreds of stories have been told about this man, one in ...
29 Maj 201841min
That Time Chewbacca Needed Bodyguards
Inarguably the most well-known Wookie in the Star Wars universe, Chewbacca also bears a strong resemblance to another popular creature in American culture -- the towering, hirsute cryptid known as Big...
24 Maj 201840min
Napoleon Bonaparte Was Attacked by Bunnies -- And Lost
Born in Corsica, Napoleon Bonaparte rose from obscurity during the French Revolution, crowning himself Emperor of France in 1804. This brilliant, ruthless tactician changed the course of French histor...
22 Maj 201835min
California Was Named for a Fictional Island Ruled by a Black Amazon Queen
California was admitted to the United States as the 31st state in 1850, but it acquired its unique name much, much earlier. Join Ben and Noel as they trace the strange story behind California's name, ...
17 Maj 201831min
